On the Inter-Subjectivity in Translation: Viewed from “Triangulation” Model

Yushan ZHAO, Hongjing ZHU

Abstract

Most studies of inter-subjectivity are about the translators’ subjectivity, which pay less attention to the subjectivity of writers and readers. Some papers center on binary dialogue among translation subjects, and place one subject in the center. Based on Davidson’s triangulation model, the paper provides a clearer ternary dialogue for inter-subjectivity. Davidson adopts “triangulation” to express the person-person-world interaction in the language communication. Translation, as the cross-cultural communication involving many subjects, is the result of the triangulation among the subjects. Triangulation in translation should be: a writer, a source text and a translator; a translator, a target text and a target reader.Based on triangulation, the paper creates distance and width among a writer, a source text and a translator; a translator, a target text and a target reader to discuss the inter-subjectivity. Adjusting the distance and width to approach the optimized triangle is to explore how to achieve the best translation. Based on these two three-dimensional multi-directional interactions with triangulation, the paper achieves the fusion of visual realms among the translation subjects.